Outdoor Adventures for the Middle of Winter
Central Pennsylvanians regularly face freezing temperatures and blustering snow in the winter months. While some take the weather as a sign to stay inside with a blanket and hot cocoa, others see the snow as a new way to experience the outdoors.
The State College area has several parks, educational opportunities and snow sports that the public can enjoy throughout the winter.
ClearWater Conservancy, a local environmental advocacy organization, offers resources for people interested in getting outside. Andrea Murrell, the strategic communications coordinator, explained that going outdoors can reduce stress, improve sleep habits and help people feel more connected to the place they live.
“Being outside all four seasons throughout the year is really important,” Murrell said. “It’s great for your health to get fresh air and a little bit of sunshine.”
If you are brave enough to leave the warmth of your home, here are a few ways to get outside and find adventure in the State College area.
Visit Local Parks
State College and surrounding areas have several free, local parks for people to hike, sled and ice skate at throughout the winter.
If you are looking for an accessible park with several paths to stroll on, Murrell recommends checking out Tudek Park in State College. Millbrook Marsh also has many flat trails and is known as a great spot for birding, a popular activity in wintertime.
Those who want to take advantage of the snow and ice have options as well. People seeking a rush of adrenaline from a giant sledding hill can pack their sleds and head to Slab Cabin Park on Elmwood Street. If ice skating is more your speed, Blue Spring Park in Boalsburg has a rink that you can bring your own skates to. Because these activities are reliant on weather, check the Centre Region Parks and Recreation website to make sure the parks are open before you go.
There are many other local parks to explore throughout the season. To browse even more options, visit ClearWater Conservancy’s Centred Outdoors website.
“Think about what your flavor of nature is and plan your trip around that,” said Murrell. “Winter is a wonderful time to be outside.”
Learn About Nature
A great place to learn about the natural world in the wintertime is Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center in Huntingdon County. The center hosts a variety of programs, including nature walks every Saturday and Sunday in the winter where participants learn about topics like animal tracking, natural history, snow critters and beaver ecology.
Alex Suleski, a conservation interpreter at Shaver’s Creek, explained that the center’s goal is to connect people to people and people to place.
“We try to expand people’s curiosity when it comes to the natural world and really help to spark some interest in natural history, conservation and sustainability,” he said.
In addition to nature walks, the center hosts a Kids Corner program every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for toddlers and an accompanying adult to try nature-based crafts, stories, lessons and games.
A Science Saturday program also recently began where Shaver’s Creek staff give a presentation on a topic and then lead a walk to see the concepts in real life.
“There is a lot to see in the winter that people don’t expect,” Suleski said. “It’s an underappreciated time to get out and explore.”
One of Shaver’s Creek’s biggest events of the year is the Maple Sugar Festival, which will be March 26–27. As the event approaches, some of the center’s programming will address the historical, cultural and ecological aspects of maple sugaring. If maple sugar interests you, register for the Maple Sugar Festival and “see the old practices, learn new practices and eat a lot of pancakes,” said Suleski.
To see a full list of programming, visit the Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center website.
Explore State Parks
State parks offer a more secluded experience for those wanting to venture into the wilderness. Black Moshannon and Greenwood Furnace offer hiking trails, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice skating.
Paul Fagley, environmental education specialist at Greenwood Furnace, has worked at the park 36 years developing programs for the public. He leads historic ice harvesting demonstrations with antique tools, Indigenous history talks, tree and bird identification programs and more. Fagley said there are usually 4–6 programs per month in the winter.
Greenwood Furnace also has a warming hut where people can build a fire and relax after their adventures.
Keep in mind that many state parks do not rent snow sport equipment, so you may need to rent items from other companies.
Ski or Snowboard
If you are ready to fully embrace the snow, you can try your hand at skiing or snowboarding. Resorts like Tussey Mountain and Blue Knob Resort offer several ways for people to get introduced to the sport and rent out skis, snowboards, boots, helmets and poles.
Tussey Mountain has seven trails, three chair lifts and a terrain park. Public lessons are offered every weekend of the season, and private lessons are sold every day of the week.
Stephen Gover, the snow sport school director at Tussey Mountain, said that Tussey is a great mountain to learn on. He strongly recommends taking a lesson the first time you try skiing or snowboarding.
“The instruction you get in that first lesson will go a long way to make sure your first experience with the sport is a positive and fun one,” he said.
Along with regular lessons, Tussey offers 6-week programs for kids on weekend mornings and after school. They also work with Penn State to teach KINES 11 and 12 courses.
“Once I picked up snowboarding, I was hooked,” Gover said. “It was the coolest thing ever, and I loved it.”
Penn State Students
Penn State undergraduate and graduate students interested in exploring the outdoors alongside their peers can join Penn State Outing Club, a student organization that leads outdoor adventures throughout the school year. In the winter, club members go on 1–2 hikes on the weekends, and they are planning a backpacking trip in March.
Caitlin Daley, a junior studying recreation, parks and tourism management, has been the president of Penn State Outing Club for two years. She explained that the club usually does moderate hikes that allow hikers to “feel the burn” but are still doable for students of different experience levels.
“Winter hiking is my favorite,” Daley said. “When the snow comes down it’s a sound barrier, so I find it more peaceful.”
Students can join Outing Club on Org Central or by direct messaging the club’s Instagram (@psuoutingclub). Membership dues are $10.
Tips for Going Outdoors
These are a few of the many ways that people of every age and ability can explore the outdoors during the winter. While it is easy to get outside, it is still important to be cautious and prepare yourself for the weather.
· Check the forecast for precipitation before heading out and dress yourself for any situation.
· Be mindful of road conditions. Forestry roads are not maintained in the winter, so they should be avoided until the snow and ice has melted for the season.
· Stay hydrated. Even though it is cold, you still need ample water.
· Layer clothing to give yourself flexibility with temperature.
· Avoid cotton base layers that will absorb and hold moisture. Staying dry is key to maintaining warmth.
For more information about how to dress for the weather, check out this ClearWater Conservancy newsletter.
